Sorry this chapter took a while- had a bunch of work. But I have more time to write now! Yay! I also paraphrased and added some dialogue in an upcoming part, but I think it captures the same idea as the game. :-)
"He doesn't believe me!" Zelda stormed a couple days later. She kicked a doll across the room, and some of the stuffing came out of its head. Impa gave her charge a be-careful-with-your-things look.
Zelda picked up her harp. She was determined to learn those harp-songs of Camor's. They were powerful, and, if there was the right amount of magic applied to it, or if played with a magical instrument, it could bring you near an ancient temple. Impa, though, had wisely not instructed Zelda on how to apply magic to a song, much to the princess's disappointment.
"They will certainly believe you soon!" Impa encouraged the princess. "Everything is exactly as you have foretold, much as I hate to say it."
Zelda grinned. Impa must be right! "I'm going to go keep a watch on Ganondorf… he was going to go meet my father today. The courtyard window opens right up to where it's taking place. No complaints from you?"
"None," Impa replied.
"Good," Zelda replied. She was about to continue, but was interrupted by a random crow of a cucco.
"What. Was. That?" Impa raised an eyebrow. "Our castle has no cuccos."
"Stupid birds," Zelda rolled her eyes. "I'm going out." She pulled her blonde hair into her headdress, and bolted out the door.
"Good mornin', your highness!" Frinz the stableboy bowed.
"How much do you want this time?" Zelda sighed. Frinz rarely spoke to her unless he begged money and Zelda, being a kind person, gave it to him.
"Naw, I jus' wanted t'know who got the cucco," Frinz shrugged.
"How am I supposed to know?" Zelda replied hotly. Surprised at her snappy mood today, Frinz backed away and ran back on his way to the stables. "Idiot," she muttered.
She walked stately out into the courtyard, making it clear to the guards that she was not in the mood to socialize. Peeking through the window, she sighed. No sign of Ganondorf yet. Only a few guards who stood stiffly along the hallway. Zelda stuck her tongue out at them, pleased that they wouldn't do anything about her because they were as still as statues, more for decoration than for fighting.
She put her hands on the sill of the window, and thought for a while about what Ganondorf and her father might be talking about. She sometimes caught snatches of their arguments that got loud. Ganondorf was a loud speaker by nature, but when the man argued, it was like yelling. She scowled. Stupid man.
A couple weeks ago, the two men had talked about a strange appearance of Dodongos in the Bomb Cavern, which was where the Gorons got their best rocks. Her father had asked the guidance of Ganondorf if they should send some soldiers to go kill the beasts. Zelda wasn't surprised at Ganondorf's heartless "No."
As Zelda was lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the hesitant stepping of someone behind her. She didn't even notice she was being watched until she heard a bell-like noise. Zelda drew in her breath quickly, and turned around.
Her blue eyes widened as she looked over the blonde boy in green. He was dressed in a green tunic and cap, and a wooden shield and a sword hung at his back. A blue fairy hovered by his head, and his anxious blue eyes met with hers and stayed there.
"Who…" Zelda began, then stopped. The boy's awe-filled eyes held her attention for another moment. "Who are you?" The boy's mouth dropped a little, as if surprised at being asked such a question. Before he could respond, Zelda continued. "How did you get passed the guards?" She looked him over again, and this time looked at the fairy. "Oh? What's that? Is that a fairy?"
She racked her brains. Only pink healing fairies were found commonly around Hyrule, but ones of other colors only came from one place. "You're not from the forest are you!"
The boy found his voice, and made a small, awkward bow. "She… my fairy's name is Navi. I… I come from the forest."
"The Kokiri Forest?" Zelda asked impatiently. The boy nodded furiously. Kokiri… This was just like her dream! "Then… you wouldn't happen to have the Spiritual Stone of Forest, would you?"
"Um…" he said, not meeting her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I had a dream!" Zelda said, hardly able to keep her temper under control. Zelda hurriedly explained her dream to the stunned boy. "I think you could be the one from my dream- if you have the Stone, that is!"
The Kokiri stared dumbly at the princess for so long Zelda thought he had some sort of brain problem. Figuring out the problem, Zelda laughed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I got so carried away with the story that I forgot to introduce myself!" She smiled a little. "I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. What's your name?"
He took a deep breath. "My name is Link," he replied slowly. Quietly, he added, "And I have the Stone." He spoke without the rush of words people from Kakariko and the Market have, without the slower drawl that Talon had and that Malon had the barest hint of, nor with the exotic accent of the Gerudo. No, this boy spoke slowly and carefully. Something else about this boy was strange.
"Your name sounds… familiar… somehow…" Zelda frowned, but quickly replaced it with a smile. "Okay, then, Link… I'll tell you a secret." She winked. "But you need to promise to keep it that way."
"I promise!" Link said without hesitation.
"Good!" Zelda said. "A long, long time ago, the three goddesses hid the Triforce, containing the power of the gods, somewhere in Hyrule. Whoever holds the Triforce in their hands has the power to have any wish granted!" She grinned at the look of amazement on Link's face. "If the person to make the wish has a good heart, then Hyrule will prosper. However, if the wish is made by an evil person," Zelda's lip curled at the thought of Ganondorf's greedy hands on the Triforce, "then the world will be consumed by evil."
"Evil…" Link said quietly to himself. Navi's wings drooped. Zelda looked curiously at the fairy. "The Great Deku Tree died of evil. How do we stop more evil?"
Zelda's eyes widened. The Great Deku Tree was dead! She shook her head, and continued, "Well, the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones. Inside the temple is the Door of Time, which guards the Sacred Realm in which the Triforce lies, and to open it, you need to have the three Spiritual Stones, and an item kept safe by the Royal Family." Zelda paused for effect. "The Ocarina of Time!"
"Wow…" Link fingered something in his pocket. "I have a piece of a key that could open such a big thing?"
"Yes, and… I forgot to tell you…" Zelda backed away from her window. "I think I may have found the person who wants the Triforce and killed your Great Deku Tree. I was spying on him through this window. Take a look!"
Link looked at the princess and slowly walked toward the window. Zelda also watched as the tanned, red-haired man walked along the carpet and bowed. "See that evil-looking man? That's Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I can tell he's lying." Link had his eyes in the window, so he didn't notice Zelda's eyes briefly turning red. "I think the dark clouds in my dream symbolize him!"
"He killed the Great Deku Tree," Link whispered. "He has to die." Zelda was pleased with this response. She had an ally!
After a moment, he retreated with a gasp. "Did he see you?" she asked. He nodded anxiously. "Don't worry- he doesn't know what we're planning- yet!"
"Did you tell your father about your dream?" Link asked.
"Yes," Zelda said hesitantly. "But he doesn't believe me. But I know Ganondorf is after the Triforce- and we can't let him have it! But I'm afraid… I'm worried he'll take over Hyrule! Please… help me!"
"I will," Link said bravely. Zelda wasn't sure if he was caught up in the moment or he truly wanted to fight, but Zelda took advantage of the moment.
"Thank you!" she said, her blue eyes beaming. "Now… here's what to do. I'll protect the Ocarina of Time, and you collect the other two Spiritual Stones! We'll get the Triforce before he does! Also…" Zelda took a scrap of paper out of one of the hidden pockets in her dress. "Hmm… Impa! Have a quill and some ink?" Zelda hollered.
Within a minute, Impa came with both items. Link took a tentative step backwards.
"Oh, yes, Link, this is Impa. I know she may look a little intimidating, but she's a really nice person!" Zelda said as she scribbled a note onto the paper. She handed it to Link with a smile. "Here. I'm sure this will help you along your way! Follow Impa. She'll teach you another thing that will help you." She shooed the Kokiri away and turned back to the window.
"… sprout will pop up in few months at most," Zelda heard the oily voice of Ganondorf through the window. "But my question to you is… who will protect that Kokiri treasure with the Great Deku Tree dead? Perhaps I can be trusted with such a responsibility?"
"Too late for that, you horrible person!" Zelda whispered. She could hear the faint music of an ocarina playing out the Song of the Royal Family. "Link is taking care of it, and soon, we'll take care of you together!" she vowed as the music floated across the courtyard.